Kiss Me Quick
by Essande
Summary: Complete and revamped!
1. The Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Neopets but I do own Kate and Skip in actuality.

Author's Note:  Entirely reviewed, checked and corrected.  The chapters are still the same though.

Chapter 1

The Meeting

"Bye!" I called after my sister as she left the mansion that night. I shook my head in wonder. I knew she was looking for something but what? More important why did the light hurt her so? I sighed, wishing my sister wasn't cursed so, wish _I _wasn't cursed so. Looking around the entry hallway of our home I wondered, as I looked back at my memories, how such a beautiful place had become so wrecked.

I asked too many questions. I knew that they would never be answered but at least I could answer a few of them myself. I cursed the light because I was a ghost. No, I was not painted ghost, I _was_ a ghost killed by a fire. That same fire riddled the top two floors of my once glorious home. My sister didn't die but the flames burned not only her body but also her heart.

I ask many a question to myself now a days and I've answered almost all of them too. But I have asked myself one question that I cannot answer. Why, when I walked the tunnel between life and death, had I turned back? Why did I even want to return to this pain filled world? As a ghost I was transparent and the one time I did leave the mansion even the mutants were spooked. Now I was confined to this building because I refused to be like my sister: I refused to steal into people's homes in search of something I knew was destroyed in the fire. 

I mopped in the doorway wondering whether or not to wait for my sister right there. She never came home until near dawn, always angry and empty handed. And then she would retreat to the basement make a simple breakfast and sleep 'til noon. Then she would write, not for any purpose but she would just…write.  Or at least that's what I assumed from listening to her grumble from the basement steps.

"Pining over loneliness shall not get you far in the after life." a voice said. In surprise, I looked across the forest floor for the speaker. No one was there. 

"You do not believe I am here so do not see me. Mother's teachings have taught me to see. Let me teach you what I have learned." The voice said. Cautiously, I stepped out on to the doorstep. 

"Who's there?" I inquired surveying the area again. 

"Only a voice in the quiet of your mind. I sense you wish your bonds to that house were broken. Clear your mind, you will see me then…" I blinked. If the voice meant I had to stop asking questions I already knew the answers to I could do that, but I didn't know what it meant really, so my mind drew a blank. Sighing, I looked up at the moon. As my eyes traveled to the sky I saw her, an orange Usul sitting on an outstretched tree limb. She leaped down, landing on all fours. Standing up she walked towards me and I gasped. I hadn't noticed before, but now that she was close I did. I wasn't shocked at her orange collar tipped with white, nor was it that her orange body's arms and legs that had brown run up them like a fox's legs. It was her tails. Yes tails. Her tail was entirely unlike my own large yellow squirrel-like tail, oh no. Her tails were like that of a fox and like her collar tipped with white. 

"Is it I, or you who is the stranger one?" The Usul asked, tilting her head to the side when she noticed my gaze. I blinked at her question.

"By the looks of it…neither." I replied. She smiled. 

"Then I shall teach you what my mother taught me. If you wish to learn more simply call the name of Rin and I shall come." She told me.

"And who is your mother?" 

"Moro." Rin said, "If you wish to be taught by her, call Moro, but first let me show you how to break your binds." And that's how my lessons began. Every night I learned how to manipulated nature and my surroundings. Always at night though, when my sister was out, when she wasn't there to stop Rin from teaching me. With every lesson I learned a bit more about changing the things around me but no matter how much I learned none of it made me alive or even solid. It was later I would leave the house. Much, much later… 


	2. I Left the House Uncertain

Disclaimer: Same routine, I don't own nuttin' so you don't sue.

Author's Note: Thanks for the review Yoshi and Kirby Fan! I'm glad someone reads my work. ^_^ So, fulfilling your request I write the second chapter to this pathetic tale.

Chapter 2

I Left the House Uncertain

"Rin! Rin please come!" I called into the night only minutes after my sister had melted into the shadowed woods. I hoped to get past manipulation of objects and move to myself tonight. Only yesterday night Rin had said I was ready to break my "chains". 

"You call the wrong one tonight. It is my mother, not I, who can finally release you…" Rin's voice came. I watched as she dropped to the forest floor and came towards me. She smiled kindly at me, her two tails lashing calmly to and fro. I felt uneasy. Call Rin's mother? I was quite comfortable with Rin's appearance and personality but if she got both from her mother… I recalled my reaction to Rin's entrance in my life (if you could call it that), her reaction to mine was fine but… Here I was again with the asking of the questions! I wanted to leave this wreck of a home didn't I?

"Moro! Please come to my call!" I shouted at the blackness of the wood. 

"No need to shout child. I am here, as you are." A calm voice said. A sleek gray Lupe seemed to ooze from the dark. A gasp escaped me. Though save coloration, the Lupess was normal. She couldn't be Moro! Could she? "You doubt me, child?" she asked. I started to nod but then quickly shook my head. 

"I doubt you not." I tried boldly, even trying to match the way Rin talked, hoping the pair wouldn't find it mocking. The Lupess smiled Rin's well-known smile at me. 

"I've watched you're lessons closely though I was not seen. As my daughter is not now." Moro said nodded towards Rin. I too looked at… air? Rin was nowhere to be seen yet for some reason I felt she was still there. Reaching out a hand I felt her shoulder and she took my hand as she appeared again, holding it. I blinked at her wide-eyed. 

"Invisibility is a lesson you may learn yet…somehow I think you've learned that without effort already." Moro said lightly joking. "A spirit you can leave this house not. Unless you wish to leave that way?" I shook my head and then perked up.  

"Invisibility?" I asked, immediately curious. "I could learn that! But how would that help me leave the mansion without people screaming the moment I became visible again?" I inquired. Rin answered me.

"It doesn't. But I'd dare say you should learn it. If only to leave one's sister's sight." 

"Rin speaks only truth my child." Moro said, "Listen well. What my daughter has taught you, you won't need for the lesson I am about to teach…" And so began the first of my lessons with Moro. These lessons, like Rin's were at night. Moro never ceased to amaze me with her knowledge; I was surprised every time Rin took a lesson with me as well. It startled me to realize just how little Rin knew compared to her mother.

 After only seven nights Moro declared me ready to leave. Or at least that's what I think she meant when she said my binds to the mansion where broken. I now could now successfully make myself appear and feel solid, with one problem. I couldn't seem to be able to rid myself of my ghostly glow. If I were to leave, I'd have to be back before dark and before my sister got ready to leave the house so she wouldn't notice I was missing. Kaymara seemed to think she owned me and refused to let me come in contact with anyone after the first time I left. She had declared that if I were to leave her for a life outside our mansion walls she would locate anyone I had a relationship with and kill them. I didn't care. What sis doesn't know won't hurt her, or any one else for that matter.

"Morning Sister." I said as Kaymara came in that morning hissing at the light I had turned on. I switched it off and felt Kaymara's angry red eyes bore into me with a fixating glare before she scampered down to the basement. I grinned, despite the chill she had sent through me. Now I was home free, my sister wouldn't be back up until near dark, which in the Haunted Woods was about nine p.m. Stepping out on the doorstep I concentrated on making myself as solid as possible. Grinning from ear to ear I ran on all fours into the forest. Ignoring the fact my faint gray ghost glow was still there as it was five in the morning. Knowing these woods, hardly anyone would be up anyhow and it would be light by the time I reached any towns.

Author's Note: Sorry if this seems a bit flat, I'm having mood swings when it comes to writing. Review with any complaints and I'll see what I can do.


	3. What's New Since I've Been Here?

Disclaimer: I've said it once and I'll say it once more. I do not own Neopets.

Author's Note:This will be the last chapter I'll be able to get in for awhile on account I'm going on vacation! So please review my third chapter work and tell me what you like and what you don't like.

Chapter 3

What's New Since I've Been Here?

I sped through the Haunted Woods slowing only to look into clearings to see if anyone was up yet. Of course at about five in the morning no would be. Or at least that's what I thought. The last clearing before I came to the town in the Haunted Woods did have someone in it. Worse yet, the brown Shoyru making sketches of the woods saw me. As our eyes made contact I quickly ran through my head every step that was carefully told to me by Moro on invisibility. I watched as he continued to stare at me even when I was no longer visible. Then he chuckled and continued painting. Looking up at the sky in the clearing I noticed the sun was on the rise. Unfortunately it was dark enough that the Shoyru had seen me aglow. I slowed my pace as I walked towards the town, with any luck I wouldn't run into that Shoyru again. And if I did I hoped he wouldn't recognize me. I just hoped he wouldn't start posting up signs or anything.

When I reached the town I was no longer aglow. But even then I was nervous. Last time I was here this place was a loud and vibrant place. Now it reminded me of the charred building my sister was spending her day in. Wandering into one of the shops I was greeted by a Cybunny wearing a black cloak. 

"Welcome! Is there anything you'd like in particular?" he asked me cheerfully. All my nervousness disappeared. He thought I was just a normal orange Usul browsing his shop! I smiled as I answered him. 

"No thanks. Just looking." I told him. I crouched down to examine a small green slug. It was grinning as if it was happy to see me but I sighed. Kaymara would freak if I brought anything home. As I looked over the petpets my thoughts drifted to the Shoyru in the woods. The thought struck me at his reaction to me. Laughter? He, a normal Shoyru wasn't scared out of his wits to see a gray glowing Usul that was semi-see through because she couldn't get a solidity spell to work properly in the dark?

"Yes Meepits are rather cute aren't they?" the shopkeeper's voice snapped me out of my realization and I noticed I had been staring at a small pink guinea pig. I nodded as the Meepit squeaked and ran towards a scamper wheel in its cage. 

"It is. Too bad my sister's allergic to petpets in general. Never once had a petpet in the house because of it." I lied, avoiding getting the Cybunny's hopes up on making a sale. In a way I wasn't lying. Never once had anything small, furry and cute even stepped into our mansion. It was mom that was allergic though. I smiled sadly as I watched the Meepit run. Anyway, what would I buy it with?  I didn't have any money.

"Well, I'd best be going." I told the Cybunny, "Thanks for letting me look!" 

"Any time." The rabbit responded. As I walked out of the shop my eye caught something. The brown Shoyru was walking into a shop with a canvas under his arm! I practically ran to the shop only stopping in front of it because I wanted to enter casually. A bell rang as a pushed open the opaque glass door.

"Oh Skip this is WONDERFUL! You show so much imagination." an excited voice came from the counter. The brown Shoyru was showing off his painting to a starry Shoyru. 

"Actually I didn't need much imagination for this picture." The brown Shoyru said. "The most amazing thing happened.  Out of nowhere this glowing Usul popped up right?  I first I thought it was a ghost painted pet but then it just vanished!" The starry Shoyru, Celtic I believe, snorted. 

"Skip, Skip, Skip.  What _am_ I going to do with you?  That some tall tale.  Just don't go around town saying it or folks'll call ya crazy." She said going into the back of the shop. "Besides, I think just being able to paint as well as you and making paints out of my potions is enough of an attention drawer." She said as she emerged from the back carrying at least eleven canvases and a few potions. "I'm giving back you're earlier paintings you gave to me, I want you to sell them all for some profit Skip, including the one your holding, here's some potions for paints but I'm keeping the portrait you did of me and Zanzibar." Celtic looked at Skip who was still registering her onslaught of orders. "Listen bro, I can't be your big sis forever. You once told me you wanted to be the best treasure hunter in the world, remember? Now you're a painter, Skip, that's far cry from hunting around for shiny yellow pieces of metal in caves. What stopped ya? Costs, uncertainty, what?" The starry Shoyru gently laid down the items she was holding and smiled at her brother. "It was Pa, wasn't it?" Skip slowly nodded.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "He never let me get past that first piece…" I thought I could die if I wasn't dead already. The scene was sooo sappy! I felt teary eyed and nauseous at the same time. The most I got out of this brother-sister heart to heart chat was Skip's name and that his dad broke his dreams of treasure hunting. I silently left the shop, relieved at his sister's words of caution not to tell anyone of me. I needed to find a bathroom before I threw up, burst into tears or both. I left in the direction of the old fairgrounds. When I got there my nausea had disappeared and was replaced with shock. The place I knew so well as a kid was gone. In its place stood a run down and nearly deserted wreck of the once glorious fairground. Could so much have happened in only three years? 

"Sad sight ain't it?" a voice said. I turned around and found myself facing Skip. He was holding his paintings and had the potions in a bag. "I remember what this place was like before Sloth came," he continued before looking at me again. "Do I know you?" I shook my head.

"No, I don't believe so." I said. Then I smiled meekly. "I'm new around here." I said. It was in fact kind of true since I hadn't seen the place in three years. "Think you could show me around?"


	4. Getting to Know You the Wrong Way

Disclaimer: I do not under any circumstances own Neopets. If I did the site would fail miserably so thank goodness I don't!

Author's Note: Hi, I'm back! Ya miss me? Thanks for another review Yoshi and Kirby Fan and thanks to CardCaptor Li Luva for her first review in return here's the fourth chapter! 

Chapter 4

Getting to Know You the Wrong Way

Skip blinked at me and then smiled sincerely. "I'd love to." he replied, "But first I need to sell these." he said nodding at the pile of canvases he held. "Ya mind going to the Auction House with me?" I looked at him confused. The Haunted Woods had never had an Auction House. Did it have one now? 

"How long is it to go there?" I said making up my mind that the Auction House was located in another world. I hoped it wouldn't take to long I wanted to see what had changed before dark. I also hoped the Auction House was not on Mystery Island, the only other world I'd been to because my parents thought it was the only place fit for them. 

"About two hours if you know your way through the forestry. One hour if I fly alone. But then you can't fly, so scratch that, and it takes about five hours if you don't know your way." Skip answered, "If we go now and stay at the Central for about four hours we can come back couple hours before dark." What was with all the hours? I didn't care about much of it except for the fact that if we left now we'd come back way before dark. 

"Which way to the Central?" I asked.  Ready to do something that might give away the fact I was "special".__

"It's north of- WHOA!" Skip yelled in surprise as I grabbed his free hand and practically dragged him northward. It _had_ to be someone who liked to talk in complete sentences. Out of all the people in the Haunted Woods _he_ had to be the one who saw me? Maybe if Kaymara did find that I had been out I wouldn't plea for his life, it would be his fault anyway. I quickly shook that thought away. I was beginning to sound like my sister. I dodged in and out of the few crowds that I came by, ignoring the fact that Skip was now gliding to keep from falling over because of the speed I was running. After the sappy scene I had to endure because of my curiosity I wasn't going to let this Shoyru get away from being my guide emotionally unharmed, at least a little for pay back. At the speed I was going it was mere minutes before I was nearly slamming Skip into trees and not pets. I didn't stop running until I got to what Skip referred to as the Central. 

"Well, that's a record." Skip said hazily, "Fifteen minutes…At least I think so." He snapped out of his daze. "There's the Auction House! C'mon, let's go." Skip said not waiting for me to lead but took flight to make sure he was in front this time. I didn't blame him for doing that after I had actually let him hit a low tree branch. I followed his shadow towards the large building in the distance. In no time we were there. I'm not even going to put any details into my short visit there. Skip merely told one of many auctioneers his address and what the bids were starting at on each of his paintings, except one he wanted to keep. I was glad to leave he place was rather stuffy and noisy.

"So, where do you wanna go?" Skip asked me once we had left the Auction House. I looked around and then I glanced at the piece of work Skip held under his arm. 

"Shouldn't you put that away first?" I said indicating the painting. He shrugged. 

"If you insist." The Shoyru said. I was disgusted at his behavior, however, it was not so much what he said as much as the way he said it.  It was kind of the way you say: "Yeah, okay."  to a little kid. Sighing, I followed him towards a building that resembled a giant safe. What a drag. I silently watched as he deposited the painting in his safety deposit box. It was a picture of the Haunted Woods, but it showed rays of light filtering through the trees and near the center of the painting… 

"Wait!" I suddenly yelled. Skip looked at me in surprise.

"What?" he asked.

"Let me see that." I commanded holding out my hand. Skip handed me the picture. My eyes widened as I saw myself. He'd captured the look of surprise I had on my face when I noticed he had seen me, the soft gray glow he had painted around me was perfect. The position I as in was different but I didn't care. I was having second thoughts about letting Kaymara kill him. 

"Do you like it?" Skip asked from what seemed out of nowhere and I jumped. "I saw it in the woods this morning, that Usul sure wasn't expecting to be seen." he looked at me, "It had an orange collar like yours but that glow around it was there too. That's why I asked if I'd seen you before." Skip concluded chuckling softly as I handed him the canvas. Then a sudden remembrance made Skip grab my shoulder.  "Okay, um, do me a favor will ya?"  I nodded, surprised at the action.  "Forget I even told you that okay, it was all in my head."  I rolled my eyes.

"Let's just go." I muttered annoyed at the shock he'd given me. As for not letting my sister at him? Let's say the decision of letting him live was hanging by a weighed down burning rope. Four hours with having to make sure this jerk wasn't off telling stories about his encounter with the Usul in the woods was going to be harder than I thought. 


	5. Better Relations

Disclaimer: If I own Neopets I am a three-toed sloth—which I'm not so I must not own Neopets.

Author's Note: Hi, hi! Thanks a lot for the reviews guys! They mean sooo much to me. If any one else in reading this please review! Also I've changed the set up in the chapters so I hope you like it! 

Chapter 5

Better Relations

I stared at the menu in front of me, again. Skip had taken me to a simple pizzeria for a lunch that was "on him". Oh, it would be on him alright if he makes one more inkling of a notion that I couldn't read. Only minutes ago I had been staring at the same menu I had in my hands now, and Skip had gotten the idea that I was staring at it because I didn't know what anything said. "' Don't know how to read?'" he had asked, "' It's okay I know plenty of pets that don't—YOWOUCH!'" that's what he had said after I had knocked him over the head with a fisted paw, hard. Well, back to the present. Skip, I noticed was brooding over his own menu, long after he had ordered an ice pack from a waitress. 

"Sorry about that…" I dared say after I noticed he took a quick glance at me and had shown just how fast one's eyes can dart downwards. "I'm just kind of rushed today and also kind of looked down on in my family so when you made the assumption that I couldn't read…" I stopped my long half lie as he put up a paw for silence. 

"It's okay," he said with a smile on his face. "I understand." At once the heart-warming, stomach-churning scene at the potion shop came to my mind. I wondered if Skip's father, or maybe even his mother, was anything like my sister. Not likely. Both of us looked down upon because we were the younger wasn't likely. Kaymara looked down on me because (Going back to the menu) she eats breakfast and I the dead one haven't eaten in three years. Ah well, I could touch folks couldn't I? I'd eat, or at least try to, I must have a stomach after all if I felt the sensation of nausea and feared of myself being sick right at that moment. I'd order something. My eyes scanned the menu for something with a long name but inexpensive and interesting to me. I would make sure Skip knew I could read, understanding or no. 

"Thanks." Skip was saying as the waitress handed him the ice pack and gave me a thumps up sign as she left holding back a storm of hysterical laughter at the fact I had not been shy to wallop the Shoyru over the head. I sighed. Feminist. Skip seemed to pour over his menu as if it were one of the few volumes of complicated math and science encyclopedia's sitting in the basement along with my (At this time I wasn't sure) either sleeping or writing sister. An idea clicked in my mind, forget the long named pizza. Skip was the one who couldn't read! He would prove it to. I had a feeling he would order a pizza that was pictured in the menu. He would refer to it as "this" and point to it. Or at least that's what _I_ thought. (Jeez, where'd the sudden need for absolute revenge come from?)

"Miss?" Skip called to a passing waitress. "I'd like this please." He said pointing to the menu. I smiled.

"When you said you knew plenty of pets that couldn't read…were you by any chance on the list?" I asked trying not to sound triumphant. Skip looked rather sheepish. 

"Er, um…ye-no I don't believe so." He said with anticipated falters. I looked at my menu. 

"Sir?" I called summoning a waiter. "Could I please have a Mushrolivepepper Pizza?" I smiled innocently at Skip who fidgeted in his seat. He couldn't read!

"So you can't read?" I inquired. Skip solemnly nodded. "Speaking of being an idiot," I continued harshly hoping to change the air of caution Skip had put around himself and the totally bossy-brat impression I put on myself. "I can't swim, I must say reading is less important than swimming as reading can't save you from drowning now can it?" I said all this of course easily because never would I absolutely _need_ to swim to save my life as I was dead already. I just hoped I get back on good terms with the guy, no matter how much he managed to some how get on my nerves.

"You really can't swim?" Skip said cracking the ice, the thick ice, but cracking it no less.

"With those wings, can you?" I answered him. Born and breed to be a lady, daughter of my late, very proper mother, and I was insulting someone with every word that slipped from my lips. (How did Mother turn up?) Any way, our conversation carried on past lunch. By the time it stopped, only two and quarter hours were left before we were to head back to the Haunted Woods. And the only reason it stopped was the fact we walked by a clothing store and Skip couldn't seem to walk past the display window without leaving me behind. 

"Want something do you?" Skip said walking over to me. I nodded entirely forgetting that my sister would freak if she saw anything new in the house. We both walked in the store and I saw something I wanted, but I ignored it. I was shopping for Skip first both as a thank you and apology (even if it was his money).


	6. Gosh It's Time Already?

Disclaimer: I don't own Neopets. Trust me on this one, I don't.

Author's Note: Over 5000 words and I'm still writing in the same day. Gosh, I'd better speed up or else this is going to be a _long_ story. Thanks for the reviews Yoshi and Kirby Fan and CardCaptor Li Luva! I'm glad you're getting used to Neopets! 

Chapter 6

Gosh It's Time Already?

"Brown." I said absentmindedly "Is not a color Skip would wear." I looked over at Skip who was examining some shawls. He must not come by this shop too often. I stared at Skip while longer. Hot and warm colors like red and yellow clashed with his brown scales. Black, purple and blue were out too. They were too dark and mixed in a bit too well with him. Skip picked up a lime green shawl that seemed to disagree with all the other shawls on the wrack. At least it looked a little good next to him, I'd found his color. I picked a green clear visor. 

"Here." I said walking over to the Shoyru. "Try this on." I handed him the visor. 

"What the heck is this for?" Skip asked as he fitted the visor over his eyes. Perfect. 

"For you. You obviously don't know a _thing_ about fashion." I said jokingly. Skip was looking over me. He nodded before smiling at me.

"Thanks. But now I have to choose something out for you," Skip smiled at me again as he took the visor off. Checking the price tag he handed it to me along with the efficient amount of Neopoints. "Here buy this for me will ya? I'll just browse for something." The Shoyru practically sauntered off towards the women's department. I stood there, visor in hand wondering whether to be flattered or disgusted. Sighing I walked to the counter. As I placed both the Neopoints and the see through visor on the counter the cashier smirked. She was a Uni, not level headed and sweet like some of the Unis I knew three years back but one of the few air-headed vanities that gave the others a bad name.

"So tell me," she said as she rung up the eyeshade. "How long have you been dating him?" I blinked at her, _dating_ Skip? The only reason I had asked him to show me the sites was to keep him from telling about the "ghost" in the woods. He was the only one who had seen me a-glow, so if sis ever found out he'd be the one dead. If I was willing to let Kaymara kill the idiotic Shoyru with a sweet streak every once in a while, where in the world did this bimbo of a shop owner get the idea that I was _dating_ _Skip_? I swear I would have ripped her apart or vomited at the thought if I could decide which to do.

"Here." (Thank you Skip.) "For you." Skip handed me three brown ribbons, gloves and a shirt." 

"Uh, thanks Skip." I said taking the clothes and placing them on the counter. Skip placed the adequate amount of money on the counter. As the cashier rung up the brown attire she asked again, "So how long you been dating?" Skip looked at me and then cracked up, both the Uni and I simply stared at the brown Shoyru, now rolling on the floor in hysterics. I was embarrassed at his behavior but at the same time wondered why I hadn't thought of that reaction. Skip clutched the side of the counter in an attempt to get up.

"Heh, dating? _Her_? I met her this morning! I, gee, I don't know her name." Skip turned to me. He was right, some how during the conversation in the restaurant we had avoided needing names, however, I could say I knew his because he had to tell it at the Auction House. "What is your name by the way?"

"Kate." I said, smiling at the disappointment in the Uni's face. She must be a gossip. Skip and I left the store, after that Skip was already wearing the visor I'd chosen for him. I wondered if I should put on any of the things Skip bought me. No. Kaymara would surely flip.

"Hey Skip, what time is it?" I asked as I walked with him towards a well. 

"'Bout nine thirty. Oh wow time flies.  We only have half an hour or so before dark in the Haunted Woods." He said as we reached the well. He bent over the edge of the well and whispered something before dropping a bag of coins in. "Why?" he asked straightening.

"I have to go!" I almost yelled. I dashed southward, once in the Haunted Woods I wouldn't be lost but that wasn't my problem. The problem was tracking Skip down after tonight and hiding the stuff he'd gotten me well enough so that my sister wouldn't find it. I hoped Skip wouldn't be sore at me if I found him again tomorrow, I'd told him I came from a rich family I'd make something up about a curfew time, he was actually nice now that I thought about it. It wasn't long until I reached home. The old mansion stood in one of the few clearings in the western part of the woods. Entering, I stopped concentrating on the solidity spell. Quickly stuffed the packaged garments under a couch in the large living room. Kaymara would be writing now. Maybe one day if I got bored or it was raining and I couldn't leave, I'd read what she writes. Until then I'd eagerly await for when my sister leaves to look for something I'm sure was once in this house.


	7. Tattered Ribbons

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Neopets related except the characters personalities.

Author's Note: Sorry if my writing isn't so fast nowadays. Science fair is coming up and I'm stuck under piles of work. Thanks for the reviews Yoshi and Kirby Fan and CardCaptor Li Luva! 

Chapter 7

Tattered Ribbons

"Bye Sis." I said as my sister left the house that night. As soon as she had melted into the shadows I stepped outside. 

"Moro! Rin! We need to talk!" I called into the dark. I had to tell them about Skip. He was a major problem. I smiled as I watched Rin drop from a tree and neatly land on her feet. Then Moro surprised me by leaping down after her daughter.

"Talk of what, child?" Moro said as the pair approached. 

"A Shoyru saw me in the dark. I want to keep him from having all of Neopia looking for a ghost Usul that doesn't attack you." I remarked shrugging. Rin's tails lashed as she thought but it was Moro that responded first.

"And what are you going to do about it Kate? Seems you have several choices, but which do _you_ want to do?" Moro looked at me quizzically. 

"Today I had him show me around so I could monitor him." I said. Moro nodded.

"That is one choice."

"We can't just hand you the answer to this packaged and ready to go," Rin interjected. "However you deal with the Shoyru is up to you as far as we're concerned. You may pick the easiest or hardest solution. What matters is that you took it into heart." Easy for Rin to say. She hadn't spent the day with the guy! He was… well there wasn't a single describing word for him. As for solutions, well, I sure had picked a hard one. 

Long after the Lupe and her daughter had left I dwelled on Skip. He was kind, caring, understanding and to top it all off an idiotic pain. Nonetheless, I decided even complete morons deserved to live, the way he was about was even kind of cute.  (Sort of.)  I'd keep with the "tourist needing a guide" gig. Sighing, I got off the couch I had stuffed my things under. Gloves and shirt. I understood why Skip had bought those but not why he'd bought the bows. I glanced in the mirror and cursed myself for forgetting that ghost's don't cast reflections. Using the solidity spell I realized that the orange bows that were tied around my ears were in tatters. Burnt in the flames. That must've been why. I smiled. Maybe Skip wasn't so bad after all. Suddenly, I couldn't wait till morning came around.


	8. When Morning Came

Disclaimer: I do not own Neopets.

Author's Note: Thanks for the review Yoshi and Kirby Fan and eTIRNITYs11! Really appreciate it. Please be patient about the story, I'm real sorry how slow it's coming but the school year's coming to an end so homework is taking over my schedule! Oh, eTRINITYs11, I looked at your work but I wasn't really interested in it because I haven't watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Dragon Ball Z for that matter. I'm not that big a fan of Harry Potter either. Sorry.

Chapter 8 

When Morning Came…

"Morning Sister!" I said as my sister brushed past me, or through me as the case was. I watched her turn the corner and listened to her descend down to the basement. Grinning from ear to ear, I rushed putting on the attire I had laid out on one of the couches. Racing out the door I barely remembered to cast the solidity spell as I ran into the still dark woods. I soon slowed my pace as I came to the clearing I first saw Skip. He wasn't there. Someone else was though. 

"Good morning child. Expecting someone? Skip, I think you said his name was." Moro smiled. Then suddenly her ears twitched. "Goodbye child. But remember light is yet to come." she called as she leapt from the clearing and into the forestry. Almost as soon as Moro left Skip landed in the clearing, easel and canvas tucked under his arm and paint pallet and brush in his free hand. From behind a tree I watched him work. Some how I knew he didn't see the scenery as the old, crooked and dead looking trees most people saw. My mind drifted back to the picture he'd done of me. He made the trees here green and full of life. I stared at Skip as his eyes scanned the surroundings and like the fool I was didn't realize how close his line of sight was to me until he was staring straight at me.

"Eep!" I cried when I noticed our eyes were locked. Running towards town, I cursed at the sun and myself. Why the heck did I sit there like an idiot? Why did the dang sun take so long to rise? And as long as I'm asking, why did Skip have to get up so early??? I didn't stop running until I was at the forest edge. It was still dark so I just sat there looking at the practically empty town. 

_"Well that was dumb. Moro even told me it was still dark out! I wonder what she was doing there though…" _Continuing to look out into the vicinity I noticed Skip landing in front of his sister's store. Checking the sky to make sure it was light out I almost ran over to the potion shop. Opening the door I heard that blasted, but still unnoticed, bell ring and my ears were alerted to a conversation. A conversation about me.

"-her again did you? Listen Skip, I've heard a few of my customers tell some pretty tall tales but I have to say a ghost Usul in the Haunted Woods is pretty normal." 

"How about the fact that it is always staring at me when I see it? Hmm? Oh, and let's not forget Kate." 

"Oh no let's not forget the _orange_ Usul that you happened to see right after your first sighting of a _ghost_ Usul. Skip, Kate sounds like a nice enough person and judging by the number of times you said she whacked you over the head… she's pretty much alive."

"What about the fact the ghost Usul is always running away?" Skip told his sister about me. Had he told any one else besides her and me? He had let it slip with me (though I already knew). I got panicky but stayed to listen.

"What about the mutant Lupe that came in here yesterday telling all of it's occupants that unless everyone wore a white dress this coming Saturday the world would be over run by man-eating pigeons? Skip who cares? Do you realize where we are? The Haunted Woods! Haunted means ghost. Ghost means creepy appearances. Hence this ghost must just watch you because you're in a clearing that it's inhabited. Got it?  I mean, sure it's docile, but you should be happy at that.  Remember Mr. Walden?  Set up camp in that clearing surrounded by brambles and the Ghost Lupe attacked him.  Now drop it." Celtic was leaning over the counter so that her face was about an inch from Skip's. Skip grinned, then suddenly stepped back and flipped Celtic to his side of the counter.  She seemed dizzy at the sudden flipping and held both her head and counter top.

"Yeah, yeah." He said picking up his painting. He turned towards me, well the door, but who cares?  When he saw me, he turned back to his sister.

"Hey Cel? If you're alive you need to get a louder bell." then he grinned at me, "How is it you came in unnoticed?" 

"I have no idea.  She going to be okay?" I said walking out with him, after glancing at Celtic stumble back behind the counter.  After he nodded smiling, I continued. "So tell me about this ghost of yours." I asked hoping to divert any connection of me the idiot in the woods to me the idiot now. Skip shrugged then handed me the painting.

"She looks just like that. Same one in the picture you saw yesterday. Celtic says she'll stop bothering me eventually. I wouldn't say she was bothering me though. I mean she's beautiful. I could paint her better but all I've gotten of her is two short glimpses." Skip looked at me and then at the painting I was holding. "You know I don't recall it wearing that shirt in my first painting. I don't know maybe I had you on my mind but you realize that that ghost Usul and you are wearing identical outfits?" Kate you are an idiot. As soon as Skip said it I noticed. Shirt, gloves, bows the same. Fortunately I didn't break down in panic. 

"Yes that is interesting." I said pretending to study the picture. "Maybe you're just imagining it." Skip shrugged. I knew he didn't believe me but it had been worth a shot. Note to self: Stop showing up in the clearing you moron.


	9. Severing Connections With Myself

Disclaimer: I don't own Neopets. I've told you nine times now I think you get the picture.

Author's note: Thanks to all who reviewed! I'm sooo sorry this chapter is so late! Science fair is finally over though and I'm free to write more. ^_^ Plus I've had writer's block and that's not a help.

Chapter 9

Severing Connections With Myself

The rest of my day with Skip was uneventful seeing as we spent the day in the clearing Skip paints in after he deposited the painting in the bank. 

"I'm telling you Skip, give up on it!" I said during the second hour of our wait in the clearing. "The ghost you keep seeing is _not_ going to show up." I was telling the truth to seeing as I was already in the space and couldn't enter it a second time. But Skip ignored me; he was busy investigating the plants on the side of the clearing where I'd shown up those two mornings. 

"There's a patch of poison ivy over there ya know, better watch it." I said absentmindedly. Mistake. Skip was looking at me. 

"How'd you know that?" he asked skeptically. 

"I _live _in these woods." I answered to what (to me) seemed like a stupid question. Another mistake. Skip had a confused look on his face and I knew he was wondering why yesterday I'd asked him to show me around. I'd told him I was new around the Haunted Woods and from my gawking in Neopia Central yesterday it was clear I was "new" there too. Now I'd just said I live here. Oh brother.

"I thought you said you were new here." Skip said. Thinking quickly I came up with an alibi. 

"I'm new to this _area_. I live over to the southeast and haven't been up north before." I said hoping I sounded convincing. I mean it was true I lied to the southeast but when I was alive I'd come to the town with Kaymara often. Fortunately and unfortunately Skip believed me.

"Southeast? Oh, you must have moved into the abandoned mansion over there!" The brown Shoyru seemed excited, I on the other hand felt sick. So much for getting Skip off my back. "When did you move in?" He asked me.

"About a week ago." I lied. Sure a week ago from seventeen years ago not to mention three of those years I was mopping around the place because of depression of being dead.

"So your folks fixed up the place?" Skip asked me from the spot he was checking for some sort of clue towards the Usul he was sure would pop up because someone was in her clearing. 

"Not really, both of them are working on Faerie Land now. They need more Neopoints to actually repair the place but at least it's furnished." I said feeling odd about this conversation. Skip straightened and looked at me. 

"Furnished? I thought the entire place would have been robbed of every valuable item by now. Top floors were burnt down in a fire three years ago!" I shook my head.

"Most things are still there. Why do you ask?" Skip shrugged. He couldn't read so he didn't read it in the Neopian Times, if that was still circulating and I don't recall his sister ever working there. So how'd Skip know about the burning or better yet how'd he know valuables were stolen?


	10. It Could Be No Worse

Disclaimer: I've said it once I'll say it again and again and again…I don't own Neopets.

Author's Note: I'm sorry this took so long but I've had some major writer's block, not to mention I had to pry my brother off the computer to start writing. Anyway thanks to all who reviewed and thank you for waiting! I think this chapter totally sucks though…

Chapter 10

It Could Be No Worse

"You sure you can't read?" I asked Skip. He gave me a strange look before he answered. 

"I know the basic alphabet and a few words but those were self taught so…" Skip sighed, "My father's a money hoarder. Celtic was lucky enough to finish middle school home schooling while mom was alive. As soon as Mom died though, Celtic had to take over the shop. I didn't even start any type of schooling because Father was in a money rut and was _really_ touchy about spending."

"Heh, kinda like mine when ever the stock…er…_goes_ down." I said carefully making the sentence present tense. "My sis has a job too." I added.

"Really? What type of job." 

"Dunno, but I like leaving the house because she's a real pain when she's tired. Oh, by the way… how'd you know stuff was stolen from the mansion?" I asked hoping I didn't sound accusing. Skip shook his head and for some odd reason held my shoulder. I stopped walking. Walking? We'd been walking?

"Well…" Skip said, looking around, "I'm lost." That's reassuring. What was more reassuring was the sight of Rin in the tree overhead about to burst out laughing at the fact the "guide" was the one lost. Rin knew perfectly well I knew where we were. Skip and I were in the worst place imaginable, a few feet in front of the clearing my house stood in. Things couldn't get any worse…

Okay folks, they just got worse. "You feel that?" Skip asked me. "It's goin' ta rain!" Guess which direction he dragged me; actually the sight of my house to him might have been a good thing considering Rin chose that moment to fallout of the tree, but that's besides the point. 

"Does you're sister always leave the door open like that?" Skip asked as we stood still for a second. "Never mind! Come on!" Skip said as he dragged me inside. As soon as he closed the door I clamped my hand over his mouth. 

"Make a sound and my sister will kill you." I whispered, and I wasn't kidding either. "I'll go check on her…you stay here." I walked a few steps and then turned to make sure Skip wasn't looking before I removed the spell and made a mad dash down the basement stairs. 

I looked around the cellar searching for Kaymara. She wasn't all that hard to find either since her blood red eyes were glaring at me, angry at the intrusion. Aside from her violet collar though she was impossible to see in the pitch-black basement. 

"What are you doing here Sister?!" Kaymara rasped at me. "You've never found reason to disturb me before…" 


	11. The Then and Now

Disclaimer: I don't own Neopets. Never did, never will.

Author's Note: Well thanks for reviewing and sorry this is taking so long. 

Chapter 11

The Then And Now

I must tell you a little more about the black Usul whose eyes are burning holes through me right now. Kaymara is my sister, yes, I've told you that much, but I'm sure there's a question in your mind about that. How on earth can such a violent Usul be related to me, a cheery little thing that thinks violent thoughts but rarely goes through with them? 

"Is there someone in the house!?" Kaymara said urgently. Since the fire she's become very protective of this place. The place that almost took her life.

"N-no!" I answered quickly, "I just want to know what you do down here all day." For a brief second I thought I saw my sister's eyes soften to the soft yellow they usually are when she leaves after sunset. That's the only time I see her eyes calm. Not the fiery red they are when she comes home before the sun. But alas the only reaction that phrase conceived was a suspicious glare.

"You're hiding something aren't you Katherine?" My sister said. Katherine, my sister was one for properness back then, my name's probably the only thing Kaymara hasn't changed.

"Nooo." I said shaking my head, "I really want to know what you do here all the time." The expression on my sister's face to that line was the same as always, or at least when both of us were alive.

~Flashback~ (Third Person)

"PA! Kaymara won't let me in her room!" A young orange Usul in a pink dress wails as she clumsily runs down the wide spiral staircase. As she reaches the bottom an older, purple Usul leans over the railing and shouts down, "Father not but a day ago you said that Katherine was prohibited from the room in which I sleep!" As she starts climbing down the stairwell to contradict her father's decision, the purple Usul continues, "Besides Katherine will most likely mess up my room and leave me to clean the disarray she has caused when she grows bored."

"Will not!" the younger retorts.

"Let's not start _that_. Besides what do you want in my room anyway?"

"I really want to know what you do here all the time." The orange Usul says a matter of factually. The disbelieving expression on the elder sister's face told all that the siblings had had the argument several times. 

"Nothing that would concern you." The purple Usul said simply.

~End Flashback~ (End Third Person)

"You're hiding something." Kaymara repeated. "I should know. Since when do you use stairs?" My sister's glare made me uncomfortable, which really didn't help the situation. 

"I can use the stairs if I want to!" I said. I sounded whiny, something that the old Kaymara couldn't stand and apparently still couldn't. At least a fight would stall for time.

"Stop being a brat!" Kaymara shrieked, raising her hand as if to strike. Then she put her hand down, "If you weren't insubstantial I would kill you." She said coldly. "Now leave!" I nodded and left quickly noting tears forming in my sister's eyes. I was met by Skip at the top of the stairs.

"Is this a bad time? Because I can go, the rain's stopped." Skip said. There was a look of worry on his face.

"Yeah…" I said. "Kaymara doesn't want me to have guests here." Which in a way was the truth. Skip nodded a silent farewell and left. Meanwhile I stood at the top of the stairs wondering whether or not to go back down there, whether of not Kaymara was going out tonight and whether I should meet up with Skip tomorrow…

Author's Note: This isn't going too well. I'm wondering if I should take this off the net because I think the chapters are starting to get too short and short means boring.


	12. Questions, Questions

Disclaimer: As I've said time and time again, I don't own Neopets.

Author's Note: Decided to keep Kate's POV (I was planning to change to Skip's) and I decided that I shouldn't let my habit of not finishing things I start to take over this fic.

Chapter 12

Questions, Questions

Evidently Kaymara answered all three of my questions. As soon as Skip took off Kaymara came half way up the stairs to avoid the faint trickle of light coming through the door. So question 1, the answer is I didn't have to go down, she came up. Question 2, yes Kaymara did go out last night but not before telling me that if she ever found out who had been up here while we argued in the basement, she would make sure they died a slow and painful death. Not to mention she said if I was so curious why didn't I spend today watching her in such away I had no choice. So in answer to question 3, no, I won't be seeing Skip today. In fact I can't see a foot in front of me. Suppose that's my fault though.

Kaymara yawned somewhere forward and to the right of me. Apparently she'd set up a makeshift bed next to the stairs. Even with my eyes adjusted to the dark I found that my sister's movements and sounds told me more about the basement's current condition than my eyes could. Of course any illuminating spells Rin and Moro taught me were out of the question. Kaymara would freak. Sure, I could be having more fun than this but so what, I mean I'm back at square one. I've been here before. So I slipped up, better to be bored than put someone in danger.

Unfortunately, those old questions started slipping back into my head. Why was I here? Shouldn't I be at the end of the tunnel, not at the start? Why did I turn back? I ask too many questions. "_I was rejected, that's why I'm still here_." I told myself trying to give an answer I would believe. It didn't work and more questions came. If when I came back I was yellow and orange, how come Kaymara was turned black and still lived? Is it just because I died, or did the flames even touch me? If I wasn't burned to death like I thought I was, how did I die? 

I looked over at my sister's sleeping form. I didn't think she would help answer any question about my death but there was a question she could help answer. Where the heck did she go and what did she do every night? To pass time, I mentally made a list of unlikely reasons Kaymara left every night:

1. She's seeing someone

2. She's out on midnight shopping sprees

3. She's—

My mind went blank. I knew so little about my sister when we were both alive, now I no close to nothing about her now. I tried mentally composing a list of likely reasons Kaymara was out every night:

1. She's stealing valuables and food from late shoppers

2. She's looking to replace something lost in the fire

3. She's out venting her anger on the innocent

"_What anger? You need to get angry for a reason_." I told myself. Kaymara used to think losing her temper as a sign of weakness, but after a few words yesterday she was agitated enough to want to kill me (again). Kaymara was also never one to hold a grudge. Yesterday she told me that we're no longer on speaking terms. So what changed her? I'm pretty sure near death experiences usually make people quiet and withdrawn; not make them have killing urges. I tried to remember what Kaymara was like, right after I came back. Maybe she was possessed or something like that.

"_Now you're just getting silly_." I told myself. My memory was missing bits and pieces. I remember snippets of my 3-5 years, I clearly remember my 6-14 and then there's just blank and then I remember sitting in the wreck of a living room upstairs for three years, a ghost. Then there's the time I've spent with Skip. Sadly I don't remember about a week before and after the fire. I recall walking the tunnel and turning around and I recall the shear heat of the flames but that's it. Maybe while I tried to weasel the reason she left at night out of her I could try and ask Kaymara if she knew if I was burned alive or otherwise.


	13. Some Answers

Disclaimer:  Neopets isn't mine ask anyone, they'll tell you so.

Author's note:  I haven't written in an eternity and a day so I suppose now's the time to start.  Then I'll just wait another eternity and a day before I update again.  Oh goody...  The text used for Kaymara's diary is 14 because it's hard to read otherwise.

Chapter 13

Some Answers

            "Hey, you remember the day the house caught fire?"  I said casually as my sister ate whatever it was she was having for lunch.  Judging by the gagging sounds coming from her general direction, she did.  Seeing as Kaymara always believed herself the polite and proper one (though how she still sees herself like that I have no idea) I sprung a question on her before she could recover.

"You wouldn't happen to know how I died, would you." A short silence followed before Kaymara answered.

"There is a large amount of charred rubble in your room...  You were crushed under it, I heard you're screaming.  You were dead when I got there..."  I was a bit surprised at the answer, but by the tone it was said in I decided it was safe to ask another.

"So what happened to you?"  I ventured.  There was another long pause.

"..."  Kaymara was silent for a moment and then replied with a question of her own.  "You do realize we are still not on speaking terms?"  I nodded figuring _she could see just fine.  Her yellow eyes blinked as she registered my response.  "Fine, then you and I have no more to speak of."  I remained silent for a while trying to think of the times before Kaymara's change and my death.  I mumbled something and Kaymara's utensils were again set down.  I could feel, see her staring at me but she let it pass.  Picking up her silverware again she continued eating.  Another moment of silence passed before Kaymara broke it again.  Her yellow eyes gleamed before she said, "You're excused Katherine."  I left with some haste; I had more questions to answer but my sister obviously wasn't going to answer them.  Pushing off the ground at the stair top, I made my way through the floor of the second floor, and then renewed my pushed to go to the third floor; the floor with all the bedrooms.****_

I stepped into my room first.  Where I died.  Debris was all over the place and I suspected Kaymara was right about my death.  I stepped through the charred remains of my room, as I looked around the blackened area, I wondered why I never thought of going up here.  _Kaymara_.  Kaymara had convinced me nothing was up here, nothing special, nothing of importance.  I figured there was no reason to come.****

I stepped backed into the hallway, there wouldn't be answers in my old bedroom, just affirmation of my sister's words.  It was strange, being up here.  I walked passed my parents room and went into Kaymara's.  I would check our parents' room later.  Right now I wanted to know more about Kaymara.  ****

The room was hardly recognizable.  Bits of debris and remains of now unidentifiable objects litter my sister's bedroom floor.  I picked my way around the room, taking up pieces of paper and books that had miraculously survived.  By the time I came back to the door I had my arms full.  Of course it would only be then that I realized the papers were all either blank or too charred to have enough information to be of use.  I've never felt more stupid.  I dropped the loose leafs and settled down with the first book... which turned out to be a thesaurus.  The second book I flipped through though was Kaymara's diary.  Jackpot!  I placed the other books aside and flipped to the front of the burnt book.  Unfortunately even in her younger years, Kaymara wrote in a loopy and barely readable scrawl: 

Dear Diary,

I found a bell today.  It was the most fantastic silver I ever saw.  I want to string it and give it to Mother.  That might cheer her up.  Father's been sick lately.  Both Mother and I are sad.  Katherine is in the dark on this, Mother wants her to stay happy.  "No use having a dark cloud over all of us." She said.  Mother's like that, always finding a bright side.

Dear Diary,

It's been a few weeks now but Father's condition hasn't changed.  Katherine has started asking questions.  I gave the bell to Mother.  She said she liked it very much.  I'm glad.  I hope she where's it always, so at least I can remember a time she was happy if Father dies.

On and on the short entries went, all things I knew or thought insignificant.  The last entry though was strange, and as I read the tear-stained page, I thought I had something.

Dear Diary,

This shall be my last entry, my last sane act.  After the fire, after I found out that Mother and Katherine were dead, I found out several valuables were missing.  Those fools!  I shall take back what is rightfully my family's.  Oh, but suffer the most is the fool that took from Mother's jewelry box the bell.  My bell, Mother's bell.  I don't care what I have to do but I will get back what is mine.  No matter if I must kill every soul on this planet... 

Something clicked as I read the page.  I turned back for…Kaymara.  I remember hearing crying, and going towards it, back the way I came.  Kaymara had been writing this page when I approached.  I had asked her what the matter was.  When she had turned, she had screamed.  I had been so confused then, when I didn't know I was dead.  Glancing at the sky I noticed the sun had started to go down, I went back down to the living room and slipped the book under the couch with my jacket and gloves.  Then I took up my usual position by the door.  Tomorrow I'd ask Skip about what exactly he knew about the fire, he knew _something_ I knew that much.  Perhaps he knew about the stuff that was taken.  Till morning though I guess I'll be stuck with my thoughts...


	14. Celtic

Disclaimer:  Put plainly, I don't own Neopets.  Now you can't sue.

Author's Note:  So it hasn't been a blue moon, but dang I came close!  I plan to finish this over Christmas break if Science Fair doesn't get in the way...

Chapter 14

Celtic

            "Good morning Kate!"  Celtic greeted me as I pushed open the door to the shop that morning, setting off the bell.  '_Kaymara's bell..._'  I thought as I listened to the ring die down.  "Skip left awhile ago but he should be back soon."  Celtic said as she adjusted some of the oddly colored, bottled liquids on the shelf behind the counter.  I nodded even though she still busied herself with the shelved items and had her back to me.  I walked among the shelves while I waited for Skip, reading off labels to myself.  Then I felt stupid.  I wanted to ask Skip about my house; if Celtic was the elder of the two wouldn't _she know something.  After mentally slapping myself for wasted time (even though I really wanted to spend some time with Skip), I walked back over to the counter._

            "Celtic?"  I asked when I noticed she wasn't there.  Then I saw her come from the back room, arms full of bottles, apparently she was rearranging the back shelf entirely because only now I noticed the empty spaces.  "Oh, can I help with that?"  I offered the starry Shoyru.  Celtic beamed at me but shook her head.

            "No help needed, I do this often enough not to need it."  Then she set the potions on the floor and stood up.  That's when I heard a bell ring.  On instinct, I looked at the door, expecting to see Skip.  He wasn't there.  Frankly, I was _very_ confused.  I could have sworn I heard the door chime.  I turned to ask Celtic if she had heard the ring when I spotted the black cord around her neck; and for some reason I felt as if I already knew what form the pendent took.  Then I told myself it was preposterous.  Kaymara spent three years looking for it if _she hadn't found it yet, no one would.  Then I heard a chime again._

            "Hey Kate!"  Skip said, coming through the door.  "I got worried when I didn't catch you yesterday."  Celtic laughed a bit as she worked.

            "Yeah, worried he was.  Then I told him off for thinking you didn't have a life!"  Celtic said.  I smiled a bit at the sad irony in her words.  I really didn't have a life...  Then I remembered the point in coming here.

            "Hey, thanks for caring Skip."  I said, causing him to lightly smile, "Oh, and Skip I have a few questions about my house..."  Again Celtic butted in this time leaning on the counter and I felt sick when I saw dangling at her throat Kaymara's bell.  As shiny and silvery as she had described it in her diary.  I even sadly noticed the small engraving that Kaymara said Mother had had put on it.  'From my dear Kaymara' it read.

            "That spooky old place?  Your folks are something moving into that place I'll say."  She said nodding her head and ignoring Skip's frown, "My mom used to work there, but after the place caught fire she was out of a job.  Lucky to survive the blaze too, the newspaper said, that five of the servants, the mistress and her two daughters died in it.  I think the master of the house would have gotten turned into a crisp as well if he hadn't died about two years earlier."  That explained a lot, but what I didn't need to hear was the part about my dad.  I think that if the fire didn't get Mother, grief would have.  I watched as Celtic gave an innocent smile as Skip glared at her and picked up where she left off.

            "Mom got really sick after that though, and well, died.  I think it was better that way because about a week after the fire, pets that used to serve there started either disappearing or were found dead in their homes.  A few are still alive but if you ever visit one of them, be careful what you say about that mansion.  Awfully paranoid."

            "You mean you've visited one of them?" I asked Skip, excited.  Maybe if I found these people before my sister I could save them from an untimely death.  It was Celtic hat nodded to my question though.

            "After I told Skip of my encounter with one of Mom's colleagues, he's been avoiding Mrs. Wockyan.  She was all a twitter and jumpy when I came in with the cookies Mom had baked her.  When I mentioned the mansion catastrophe she practically turned to stone and then had some sort of break down on me.  Poor Pteri..."  Celtic said, shaking her head.

            "Hey, but why talk about such dreary things?"  Skip asked after a moment of silence.  "Come on Kate, there's a tram from the Central to Terror Mountain at two today, wanna go?"  I smiled and nodded my head.  I'd worry about this whole thing at home...or at least try to save it until home.


	15. Redemption

Disclaimer:  Plot, mine.  Characters, mostly mine.  Species and Places, Neopets in general, not mine.

Author's note:  Sorry if this is going too fast but I want to finish this before break if possible.

Chapter 15

Redemption

            I remember so much now.  Little details, like exactly how the kiss Skip sneaked on the tram back down felt.  Like how chilling it was when I said goodbye to Celtic and that bell rang.  And I'm going to remember all the menace in the glare Kaymara's giving me now.

            "Tell me where it is!"  Kaymara screeched again.  Frankly I have no idea what the heck she's talking about.  Then she dropped me a line.

            "I know you know where my bell is Katherine.  Tell me where the thieving wretch is!  I swear I will rip their heart out."  Ooo, how pleasant.  Dang I'm worried for Celtic.  After all, it was her mom, not her, who took the bell in the first place.  Knowing Kaymara though, she'll find some way to justify her actions.  

            "I have no idea what you're talking about Sister."  I lied.  Bad move.  Kaymara's now red eyes glinted.

            "It's that boy that was here a few days ago, isn't it?  _He has my bell.  You two have something going on.  What is it Katherine?!  What did he offer you for me!?"  Kaymara's really scary when she's all spastic, but that's not really the point now is it.  The point is she was threatening Skip.  That's not good for me._

            "There wasn't a boy here Kaymara, and even if there was, I'm dead, what could he give me?"  I said confidently.  That seemed to shut Kaymara up for a second but soon I realized she had left for the living room.  I quickly followed and watched in horror as she straitened after reaching under the old moth eaten couch and withdrawing the gloves and jacket Skip had given me and her diary.

            "This?" She said, referring to my earlier question as she tossed the bundle to me (or through me) and flipped open her diary.  "Now Katherine," she continued in a softer voice, "you know the importance of that bell, my bell, Mother's bell.  It was an item given out of love, an emotion I no longer have!  I don't care about the boy, no one; just tell me where it is..."  I stared as she fiddled with the corner of one of the pages, waiting for an answer.  The one I gave to her wasn't satisfaction.

            "I don't know."  Now I knew she was angry because she threw the book through me with such force it dented the wall.  Despite the hour of night, something told me to go to Celtic's shop, because even as Kaymara left with no inkling of where her bell was, I some how knew that she would find it.  I didn't bother with the solidity spell, not even to pick up the bundle behind me, instead I ran after my sister using my insubstantial state to my advantage.  Where she had to dodge trees, I ran strait through them.  When I caught up with her, I did the first thing that came to mind to slow down her mad run.  Utilize her fear of light.  Kaymara hissed as I cast a sunburst spell.  As she recoiled I ran ahead hoping to warn anybody in her path who I knew, in her fit of rage, my sister would surely kill.

            "Who do you protect Sister!?"  Kaymara's voice came as she caught up with me.  "That boy!?  Or someone else!?  Why do you shun your family so easily?  You're just like them!  I have my rights too you know!"  I found myself slightly falter at her words but again cast a sunburst.  I whirled around and watched my sister stagger about for a bit before recomposing herself.  If I had to stand here at the edge of the woods all night I would.  Rin and Moro suddenly came to mind but the idea of calling out was shot down when I saw Moro standing within the shadows of one of many dead trees.

            "This is your task; I cannot help you beyond that which I have taught."  Kaymara jerked her head to see who was there, but by that time of course Moro had disappeared.  Great help she was going to be.  But I suppose other pets weren't the she-wolf's concern.

            "So... someone is helping you Sister?  If tricks are what you want then I shall play along."  The sheer sweetness in her voice scared me beyond reasoning.  I would have much preferred her to rant at me and throw things.  That least that way only feelings were hurt.  What Kaymara did next though was even scarier for me.  Taking advantage of my dazed state Kaymara darted forward, but be before I could do anything, swerved left and past me.  In an act of desperation I used the solidity spell and grabbed her arm.  Kaymara gave me a look of horror followed by a sickening smile.  The next thing I knew I was hurled into a tree and blacked out.

*** 

            When I came to it was daybreak already.  Remembering last night, I made a beeline for Celtic's potion shop.  I didn't bother opening the door, stepping through the hole in the glass, after pushing through the crowd gathered there and shoving away the few Chia police that dared get in my way.

            "Oh no..."  I said quietly as I looked at the scene of blood and broken glass.  I ran to check how Celtic was doing, cradled in Skip's arms.  I heard him whispering to her to wake up; sadly I knew she never would.  When he noticed me, he regarded me with a tear-streaked face and only now did I notice the few cuts and scratches on his body.

            "I tried to help," Skip said shakily, "Celtic pushed me away though.  The Shadow Usul kept trying to take the bell Mom gave Celtic.  I don't know why.  She killed Celtic to get it Kate.  Celtic won't wake up Kate.  Why?  Why won't she?"  Skip was like a lost child in a state of denial.  It pained me to see him like this.  Then I noticed the black and purple figure among the broken shelves.  Kaymara.

            "Hold on Skip." I said when he thought I was leaving him alone, something I was sure frightened him right now.  I walked over to my sister's body and rolled her over.  She opened her eyes slightly.  What shocked me was the brilliant shade of aqua marine they had turned.

            "I got it, Katherine...  Now, I can…finally rest..." she said closing her eyes.  "Finally..."  I felt tears for my sister come to my eyes but I didn't let them fall.  First Celtic and now Kaymara.  And now I suppose me... finally.  I had come back because of Kaymara and now she was at rest, there was no point being here.  I looked at the tunnel before me, and took a glance at Skip, whispering to Celtic and begging her to wake up.  I didn't even bother stepping near the passageway, instead I turned back and walked towards Skip.

            "Come on, Skip."  I said putting my hand on his shoulder.  "Let's find a spot to bury her."


	16. Epilogue

Disclaimer: The fifteen previous chapters all state that Neopets is not mine.  Dang, I hate repeating myself.

Epilogue

            Skip's still a bit depressed, but since I moved in and took over the shop, I think he's been doing better.  I have to pretend to wake up and go to sleep before and after he does but I don't need to sleep so I'm fine with it.  Also the "Ghost Usul" hasn't been mentioned again, but it pains me when Skip takes one of the two paintings out and tell me she was an omen of sorrow.  Business is slow but after the incident, what do you expect.  We often visit Celtic's grave in Meridell.  Skip said as kids she would bring him to the spot she's buried now and tell him all the name's of the flowers in the day and star gaze at night.  I'm sure had she chosen the spot she wanted to be buried, it would have been there.  As for Kaymara...  I quietly laid her to rest behind the mansion.  Underneath the remains of our parents window.  Sister would have wanted it that way.

It's funny how you remember all the right things at the wrong times.  I remember now, often sitting on the basement steps, listening to my sister weeping for something lost, at that time I didn't know what.  I had been afraid to console her, too wrapped up in my own problems to notice exactly how much she hurt.  Her fear of light, I now realize is because she hates what she's become.  All the killings were those who remember, who she was, what she looked like.  She wanted less to right to thefts from our house but to right what had happened to her.

            I remember all those times now... three years ago...  when I would sit on the couch watching Kaymara sleep.  Often she would wake up crying out 'Mother.' When curious pets started coming around, she moved into the basement.  I guess I never really noticed how much, no matter how much she pushed me away, she needed me.  I suppose when Mother died, my sister fell off track.  I never realized I was intended to take my mother's place.  Now though, I guess all along I did know.  From the moment I heard my sister's crying, I suppose I turned back to help her.  But when I was needed most, I forgot my purpose, my meaning for being there.  Three years is too late to make up mistakes, I know that now and this time I won't mess up.  And Kaymara, I know what you did was out of love for Mother's memory, so you could rest in peace.  I can forgive you for what you've done to Skip, murdering his sister.  I'll do my best to help him back to the right road.  I guess I failed my first job at "guardian angel" but if you can find it in your heart to forgive me all I can say is...I'm sorry.

Author's Note:  It's finally finished!  If anyone at all wants to continue this or use a character, fine by me.  It's done! AHAHAHA!!!


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